Pregnancy as a Temp Worker: Everything You Need to Know About Maternity Leave
04 August 2025 · 4 min reading time
Join Staffmatch
See job offersWorking through a temp agency does not prevent you from benefiting from maternity leave or the related financial assistance. Like all employees, pregnant temporary workers are protected by law: duration of leave, daily allowances, job protection, and even the birth grant. However, with short assignments, periods without a contract, and the specific conditions of temporary work, it’s not always easy to understand your rights.
In this article, we clearly explain what your maternity leave rights are as a temp worker, how to access benefits, and the steps you must not miss to secure your situation and calmly prepare for your child’s arrival.
What is the duration of maternity leave in temporary work?
Whether you’re a temp or on any other type of contract, the length of maternity leave is set by law and varies depending on the number of children expected or already in your care. This leave includes a prenatal period (before the birth) and a postnatal period (after the birth), which may be extended in certain cases.
For a first single pregnancy, the statutory duration is:
- 6 weeks before the expected date of birth (prenatal leave)
- 10 weeks after the birth (postnatal leave) A total of 16 weeks
In cases of multiple pregnancies or if you already have two children in your care, the duration is increased:
- 26 weeks for the third child
- 34 weeks for twins
- 46 weeks for triplets or more
The period of leave can also be adjusted: for example, it is possible to transfer up to 3 weeks of prenatal leave to the postnatal period, subject to medical approval.
Even if your temp assignment ends before the start of your leave, you keep your rights to maternity leave and daily allowances, as long as you meet the eligibility requirements set by Social Security.
What are the conditions for accessing maternity leave in temping?
To receive daily allowances during your maternity leave, you must meet the eligibility criteria set by Social Security. These are adapted for temp workers with discontinuous activity.
You must either:
- Have worked at least 150 hours in the previous 3 months before the leave, or 600 hours over the past 12 months if your assignments are scattered.
- Or have received a salary of at least 1,015 times the hourly minimum wage (SMIC) (about €12,059 gross in 2025) over the last 6 or 12 months.
In addition to Social Security allowances, you can receive supplementary benefits through Intérimaires Prévoyance, if you fulfill the following conditions:
- Have accumulated at least 414 hours of temp work in the 12 months before your leave.
- Be on assignment at the start of the leave, or be within the portability period (up to 1 month after the end of an assignment if registered with Pôle Emploi, or depending on the length of the last assignment if with the same employer).
What is the amount of maternity benefits in temping?
As a temp, just like any employee, maternity leave entitles you to daily allowances paid by Social Security. The amount depends on your salary before the leave.
The calculation base is the average of your last three payslips, or the previous twelve months if your employment has been discontinuous (which is often the case in temping). These salaries are considered within the monthly Social Security ceiling, set at €3,925 in 2025.
Specifically, the maximum daily allowance is €101.94 gross per day. It is paid for the entire statutory duration of maternity leave, 16 weeks in most cases (more in case of multiple or problematic pregnancies).
You may also receive a supplementary allowance from Intérimaires Prévoyance, if certain conditions are met (notably, having worked at least 414 hours in temping over the past 12 months). The amount of this supplement depends on the number of hours worked and can be a significant financial support during your leave.
Birth grant: what applies to temp workers?
Good news: even as a temp, you are entitled to the birth grant paid by the CAF. This financial aid is intended to support you with the arrival of your child, regardless of your contract type or employment status. In 2025, the amount is €1,067.14 per child, subject to income limits.
To receive it, you simply need to declare your pregnancy before the end of the 14th week to the CAF and the Health Insurance. If you meet the criteria, the grant is generally paid within two months after the birth.
This boost can make a real difference, especially if your temping activity alternated between longer and shorter assignments. So don’t forget to complete your forms on time to make sure you’re eligible.
Similar articles
Labor Law
Paternity leave, adoption leave: what's new?
23 July 2021 · 3 min reading time
The right to paternity leave applies to the child's father if he is an employee, as well as the partner of the child's mother if they are also an employee.
Labor Law
Everything you need to know about sick leave in temporary work.
05 December 2022 · 5 min reading time
Everything you need to know about sick leave in temporary work: procedure, benefits, duration, and impact on your contract. Complete guide for temporary workers by Staffmatch.
Become a temp worker with Staffmatch!
OUR MOBILE APPS
Download the temp worker app
Download the business appDownload our temp worker appDownload our business app
Download the temp worker appDownload the business appDownload our temp worker appDownload our business app